Hydraulic transmission mechanism



F. E. STAATS HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION MEGAHANISM Filed De-C. l, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1in-vant :11"

Oct. 22, 1940. F. E. STAATS 2,218,558

I HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Filed Dec. l, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 22 y Fig- L.v

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Att m1- y y www?? Patented Oct. 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928: 370 0. G. '157) Ther invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to to the annular wall portion Il of member ID by removable fastening means i'i in such manner as to form a fluid tight jcint, and as is well untive vehicles, transmission brakes. hydraulic me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a hydraulic transmission mechanism for transmitting power from a driving member to a driven member through variable speed ratios, and relates more particup larly to such a mechanism for use with automoderstood in the art the end plates l2 and I4 may be suitably reinforced as by the reinforcing flns generally indicated at il.

For' a purpose more specifically related in detail hereinafter a pair of cam rings I8 and 20 are disposed within the cup shaped member 4 ill adjacent either end portion of the annular wall i0 portion Il and in abutting relation with the end plates l2 and I4 respectively. The rings I! and 20 are of such diameter as to. t snugly within the wall portion Ii and are secured to the endplates against which they abut by removable 1'5" fastening devices 2 l. As shown more particularly in Fig. 4, the confronting edges 22 of the cam rings I9 and ,20 are formed to provide spaced opposed parallel cam surfaces 23 of substantially equal length circumferentially of the rings and 20 with adjacent opposed'surfaces equally and oppositely inclined axially of the longitudinal axis of member Il to define the axially undulating endless cam way or groove 24, While the cam rings I9 and 20 have been shown as continuous ring elements it will of course be understood, that they may be comprised of discrete arcuate segments assembled in ring form.

Within the fly-wheel .comprised of the cup pumps and shock absorbers.

The principal feature of the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, whereby a rotatable driving member is connected with a piston reciprocable axially of the driving member within a cylindrical driven rotor member, and a'fluid medium is provided within the cylindrical driven member for controlling the reclprocation of the piston and therethrough the driving ratio between the driving and driven members.

'I'he specific nature of the invention as well as other objects yand advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a}ongitudinal section of the transmission mechanism of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of.Fig. 1. shaped member Il and end plate i4 is disposed .30 Fig. 3 is a section taken on thev line 3 3 of a hollow rotor 25 mounted for rotation relative Fig. 1-. to the ily-wheel. Asshown in Figs. 1 and 2 the v Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the 'cam rotor 25 is comprised of a front housing member rings. f 26 and rear housing member 2l joined by the Referringnow to the drawings by characters of reference there is shown in longitudinal sec- .tion in iFlg. 1 acup shaped member i0 comprising the annular wall portion il joined at one end to an end plate l2 which may be integral with theannular wall portion il or otherwise suitably secured thereto in fluid sealed relation. Conveniently, when the transmission mechanism is to be used for the transmission of 4power in an automotive vehicle-the cup shaped member i0 may be comprised as an element of a hollow fly wheel and is secured to the crank shaft or other driving element of a prime mover through its' end plate I2 by suitable fastening means inserted through the bores I3 in the` end plate in fluid sealed relation for such purpose. At its end opposed to the end plate i 2 the member I0 is closed by a removable end plate I4 formed with an outwardly dished portion i5 having the annular wallportion i3 concentric with the longitudinal axis of member il. The end plate I 4 is secured coupling flanges 23 (see Fig. 2) in any desirable .-35 manner. The housing member 26 is acup shaped member similar in section to the member l0 and formed with an annular wall portion 29 terminating in the coupling flange 28. Likewise the housing member 21 has a dished portion 30 ,4b similar to the dished portion I5 of the end plate I4. and an annular wall portion 3i, of substan` tially the same diameter as wall portion 23, terminating in the coupling flange 28 for coactionk with the ange 28 on member 26 in securing the two housing members into the rotor assembly. At its front end the rotor 25 is 'provided with a journal member 32 secured to the housing member 26 axially thereof and suitably journaled, as by the frictionless' bearing 33 in member lll, axially of the fly wheel. The rear end of the rotor is-supported for rotation by the driven shaft 34 journaled in the end plate il axially of the fly wheel as by the frictionless bearing 35, and suitably secured to the dished portion 3l of housing member 21 axially of the rotor. To

vprevent escape of iiuid within the ily wheel through thev bore in end plate I4 in which driven shaft 34 is located a seal 33 may be interposed between the bearing 35 and adjacent portion of the end plate in fluid sealed relation with the shaft and end plate.

A valve cage 31 formed with a cylindrical tubula-r valve guide portion 33 joined by circumferentially disposed substantially equi-spaced supporting struts 33 to an annular base 43 is secured by its -base to the end wall of the dished portion 33 of the rotor housing member 21 within the rotor axially thereof by any suitable fastening. means, such as indicated at 4I, and .the end wall portion ot the dished portion 33 is provided with an inwardly extending axially disposed tubular projection or sleeve 42 lying within and substantially spaced from the struts 33. As shown more particularly in Fig. 1 the struts 33 are so spaced as to form valve ponts 43 therebetween, and the interior diameters of the cylindrical tubular valve guide portion 33, spacing of the struts 33 and annular 'base portion 43 is the same whereby the interior surfaces of these elements may serve as bearing surfaces for a reciprocable valve 44.

The valve 44 comprises a cylindrical tubular element 45 -tted within .the valve guide portion 33 of the valve cage for retprotion therewithin and is joined by the spokes 43 at its forward end to the forward end of an axially disposed cylindrical tubular member 41 having a sliding lit within the tubular projection or sleeve 42. In the fully uncovered position of the valve ports 43 the ends of valve element 45 register with the ends of valve cagciportion 33 and the member 41 is overlapped with the sleeve 42. The valve 44 is adapted to be reciprocated within rthe valve cage 31 between full port uncovering position in registration with Ithe element 33 of the cage and full port closing position with the valve element spanning .the interior of the base 43 and element 33 of the valve cage in fluid sealed relation to the valve ports 43. For reciprocating the valve 44 a valve shaft 43 secured to a hub 43 fastened, as

by spokes 53, in the rear end portion of tubular member 41 is provided. The shaft 43 is conveniently slidably mounted within an axial bore of the driven shaft 34` and is keyed for rotation therewith by means of a pin 3l secured to the valve shaft and protruding through opposed 1ongitudinal slots 52 in the driven shatt. The valve shaft 43 may be reciprocated by any conventional type of throw out collar, yoke and actuating arm or pedal, with the collar suitably connected with Vthe pin 5I and the actuating arm biased to normally retain the valve shaft 43 in its rearwardmost position with the valve element 45 fully closing the ports 43. As the valve shaft v actuating means forms no pant of -the present invention and is conventional in the art it has been omitted for the sake of clarity.

An oil or other fluid seal 53 is interposed .bei tween -the valve shaft 43 and driven shaft 34 to prevent escape of oil without ithe rotor 25.

To prevent the transmission mechanism from grabbing when the valve is lreleased from its port uncovering position as shown in Fig. 1 to be returned to its normal port closing position by the -f bias on the actuating arm or` pedal as above explained, a safety valve 54 is slidably mounted on a reduced portion of the valve shaft 48 and is adapted to seat upon the adjacent end of the tubular member 41 in sealed relation. The lvalve 53 is formed with apertures 55 to form throttling passagesandinthismanneradeshpoteiectis obtained permitting gradual movement of the valve v:to its normal port covering position or throttling position oi the ports 43. When the valve shaft 43 is moved forwardly the valve 54- may slide on the reduced portion of the shaft to provide a free passage leading from the member 41 to sleeve 42, through the annular space between the periphery of the valve and interior of the sleeve 42.

l An annular piston 53 having outwardly directed ing members 23 and ,21, respectively, and as clearly shown in Fig. 1 the trunnions are disposed within the cam groove 24. Frictionless bearings 33 are suitably mounted on the .trunnions 53 for. bearing on the side walls deiining the slots 53 to guide the piston in reciprocable motion and to prevent relative rotative movement g of the piston with respect to the rotor. Frictionless bearings 3l similar to the vbearings 33 are secured on the trunnions 53, as by the cap screws 52, for engagement with the confronting cam surfaces 23 in the cam rings, whereby rotary movement of the fly wheel and cam groove 24 will reciprocate the trunnions 53 and piston 53 axially of the rotor. In order to ensure that there will be no loss of fluid medium; from the interior of the rotor through the trunnlon openings 53 cooperating annular sleeves 33 and 34 are disposed on the annular wall portions 23 and 3l of the rotor housing members 23 and 21 and flanged portions 51 of the piston 53 respectively. 'Ihe inner peripheral edge of the piston 33 is provided with a sleeve which engages the cylindrical member 33 of the valve cage in sliding snugly fitting relation.

A fluid medium of any desirable characteristic may be introduced within rotor 25 through a suitable iilling opening 33 extending through a trunnion 33 and the piston 53 which is normally closed by the cap screw 32 accessible through asuitable fluid sealed opening in the ily wheel member I3.

In operation the rotor 25 is lled with a 50 suitable fluid medium; such as oil, and the cap screw 32 closing nlling opening 33 put in place. The dy wheel casing is then filled with oil which serves as a lubricant for the bearings 33. 33, 33,

3l and cam faces 23 and in addition acts as a 55 seal to prevent any fluid from escaping from the rotor housing 25. 'I'he iiy wheel which is secured to the driving shaft of a prime mover through the fly wheel member I3 is rotated by the driving shaft. and assuming that the valve 44 is in the .o

potion of Fig. 1, rotation of the y wheel will effect reciprocation of the piston 53 which willl force the fluid medium in the rotor back and forth through the ports 43 in the valve cage and inasmuch as the pistonA meets no appreciable g5 rotate the rotor through the trunnions 53 at a predetermined relative rate with respect to the fly wheel. When the valve 44 completely covers the full speed of the fly wheel.

the ports 4l circulation 'of nuid medium from one side ofthe piston to the other is precluded and displacement of the piston prevented in which case the rotor will be rotated at the same relative speed as `the fly wheel. valve 44 properly withrespect to the ports 43 the speed of the rotor 25 and hence the driven shaft 34 may be regulated in any ratio from zero to As will be clear from inspection of Fig. 1 the oil in rear of safety valve 54 within sleeve 42 will be throttled through the passages 55 as the valve shaft is returned to its normal rearmost position or to a position throttling the ports 4I and such action will cause the valve shaft to be returned gradually and uniformly obviating any grabbing of the transmission mechanism. The valve shaft 48 will be freely movable forwardly from itsl rearmost position as the safety valve 54 may slide on the reduced portion of the valve shaft to permit unim- .jpeded passage of oil into sleeve 42 through the annular space between valve 55 and the interior of tlf-e sleeve 4I.

Having now particularly described what is at present considered a preferred embodiment of the invention what I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. In a variable speed transmission, a driving member formed with an endless cam groove, a hollow driven member adapted to be filled with a fluid mediumtand having a piston therein operatively engaging said cam groove for reciprocation thereby in a direction longitudinally of the axis of the driven member at a predetermined ratio with respect to the rotation of the driving member upon rotation of the latter, said cam groove being formed so as to rotate the piston and driven member when other rthan said predetermined ratio exists. and a regulatable valve in the driven member cooperating with the piston to control the displacement of iiuid medium from one side of4 thepiston to the other as the piston is reciprocated; whereby the rate of reciprocation of the piston may be controlled to vary the ratio of vreciprocation thereof with respect to the rotation of driving member from said predetermined ratio to zero.

2. In atransmission mechanism in combination, a ily wheel,l a hollow w iilled with a fluid medium axi`z I theily wheel, a piston mounted within the rotor for reciprocation axially of the fly wheel and rotor, means on the fly wheel coacting with the piston to effect reciprocation thereof at a predetermined ratio with respect to rotation of the iiy wheel upon rotation of the latte?, saidmeans being relatively rotatable with respect to the piston and adapted to effect rotation of the rotor when any other than sa'id predeterminedy ratio exists, and a regulatable valve in the rotor cooperating with the piston to control the rate of displacement of the fluid medium from one side of the piston to the other as the piston is reciprocated; whereby the rate of reciprocation of the `piston may be regulated to selectively establish other than said predetermined ratio. l

3. In a variable speed transmission in combination, a hollow uid tight driving member, a hollow fluid tight driven member mounted within the driving member axially thereof for relative 'rotation with respect thereto, a`n annular piston mounted within the driven member for axial re- `ciprocable movement with its outer peripheral By arranging the driving member dening an endless cam groove undulating axially of the driving and driven members, radial trunnions on said piston protruding through the hollow driven member for axial movement of the driven member only and operatively engaging said undulating cam groove, a valve cage having a ported portion secured within the driven member and engaging the inner Vperipheral portion of the piston in fluid sealed relation to form a passage from one side of the piston to the other through said ported portion, and a movablev valve in the driven member operable to vary the effective opening of said valve cage ported portion,

4. In a. variable speed transmission in combination, a hollow fluid tight driving member provided with a pair of axially spaced bearings, means secured within the driving member having adjacent opposed parallel portions with adjacent opposed portions inclined equally and oppostely ofdiven member for reciprocation'axially thereof and having its outer peripheral portion engaging the interior of said annular wall portion in fluid sealed relation-a plurality of radial trunnions on the piston protruding one through each of said elongated openings and operatively engaged in said cam groove, means forming a iiuid sealed passage for the trunnions through said openings, a valve cage having a ported portion secured within the driven member and engaging the inner peripheral portion of the piston to form a passage from 'one sideof the piston to the other through said ported portion, and a movable valve in the driven member operable to. close the lpassage through said ported portion. .A

5. 'I'he structure'of claim 4 wherein the valve cage comprises an annular imperforate portion cooperating with the inner peripheral portion of the piston joined to anl annular base, secured to the driven member axially thereof, by circumferentially spaced struts to form said ported portion.

cage comprises an annular imperforate portion cooperating with the inner peripheral portion of the piston joined to an annular base, secured to the driven member axially thereof, by circumferentially spaced struts to form said ported portion and the valve comprises an annular member reciprocable withinthe cage between positions of port covering and uncovering relation.

' 7. 'I'he structure of claim 4 wherein said driven member is iournaled in one of said bearings by a hollow shaft secured to the driven member, a sleeve is secured to the driven member axially thereof, a tubular member is secured to the valve and slidable within the sleeve, Va -valve shaft is slidably mounted invgsaid hollow shaft and secured to thetubular member on the valve and a perforated slidable safety valve is mounted on the valve shaft and engageable with the end of the tubular member within the sleeve in sealed relation, said safetyvalve being of smaller diameter than the interior of the sleeve.

8. In a variable speed transmission, a hol-low driven member mounted for rotative movement and adapted to be lled with a fluid medium, a driving member mounted for movement relative to the driven membena piston provided. with a.

bore centrally thereof reciprocally mounted within the hollow driven member, means restraining the piston and hollow driven member against relative rotary movement, means forming substantially a fluid seal between the peripheral portion of the piston and adjacent walls of'the hollow driven member, means interconnecting the piston and driving member adapted to reciprocate the piston 'upon relative movement of the driving and driven members, va. valve assembly mounted in the rotor in coacting relation with said bore in the piston for controlling passage of fluid Lfrom one side of the piston to the other upon reciprocation of the piston; whereby relative movement between said driving and driven members may be varied from Zero to the speed of the driving member.

9. In a variable speed mechanism, a udriven member mounted for rotative movement, a driving member mounted for movement' relative to the driven member, a piston provided with a bore therein mounted on the driven member for relativereciprocal movement, means including said driven member forming a uid chamber on either side of the' piston, means restraining the piston and driven member against relative rotary movement, means interconnecting the piston and driving member adapted to reciprocate the piston upon relative movement of the driving and -driven members, a valve cage mounted in the casing shiftable therein longitudinally of the axis of the driven member and' provided with means engaging the cam track for imparting reciprocating movement to the piston during rotation of the driving member, an' annular valve cage in the casing cooperating with the piston to form front and rear chambers in the casing communieating with each other through side ports formed in the cage at'one side of the piston, a valve' in said cage, means for shifting the valve into and out of closing relation to the ports to control flow of fluid through the cage and regulate rotation of the driven member during rotation of fthe driving member and reciprocation of the pistn, and means for checking too rapid movement Of the valve in Aav direction to close the ports. A

'11. In a variable speed transmission, a hollow driving member provided with a, circumferentially extending cam track, a driven member including a hollow casing'rotatably mounted within the driving member, an annular piston in said casing shiftable therein longitudinally of the axis of the driven member and provided with means engaging the cam track for imparting reciprocating movement to the piston during rotation of th driving member, an annular valve cage rigidlyA mounted in the casing concentric to the casing and passing through the piston and cooperating therewith to divide the casing into front and rear chambers at opposite sides of the piston, said cage having side ports at one side of the piston for establishing communication between the chambers, a sleeve valve in said cage. means for shifting the valve longitudinally of the cage and progressively moving the valve into and out of closing relation to the ports to regulate now of A uid through'the ports and consequentlyrturning of the driven member with the driving member, and 'a dash-pot for checking too rapid movement of the valve in a closing direction.

12. In a variable speed transmission', a hollow driving member provided with a circumferentially extending cam track, a driven member including a hollow casing rotatably mounted within the l driving member, an annular piston in said casing shiftable therein' longitudinally of the axis of the driven member and provided with means engaging the cam track for imparting reciprocating movement to the piston during rotation of the driving member, an annular valve cage rigidly mounted in the casing concentric to the casing and constituting an annular mounting for the piston passing through the piston and cooperating therewith to divide the casing into front. and rear chambers at opposite sides of the piston, said cage having side ports at one side of the piston for establishing communication between the chambers, a. sleeve valve in said cage, a rod for shizfting the valve longitudinally in the cage and progressively moving the valve into and out of closing relation to the side ports'of the cage, and cooperating members carried by the valve and the rod and forming a dash-pot forl resisting too rapid. movement of the valve in a closing direction.

13. In a. variable speed transmission, a hollow driving member provided with a circumferentially extending cam track, a driven member inl cluding a hollow casing rotatably mounted within the driving member, an annular piston in said casing shiftable therein longitudinallyof the axis of the driven member and provided with means engaging the cam track for imparting l reciprocating movement to the piston during rotation of the driving member, an annular valve cage rigidly mounted in the casing concentric to the casing and constituting an annular mounting for' the piston passing through the piston and cooperating therewith to divide thecasing into front and rear chambers at opposite sides of the piston, said cage having side ports at one side of the piston -fo'r establishing communication between the chambers, and an annular valve in said cage mdvble longitudinally. therein for progressively closing the side ports and causing rotation of the driven member with the driving member at gradually increasing speed ratios.

14. In a variable speed transmission, a hollow driving member provided with a circumferentially extending cam track, a driven member including a hollow casing rotatably vmounted within the driving member, an annular piston in said casing shiftable therein longitudinally of the axis of the driven member and provided with means engaging the cam track for imparting reciprocating movement to the piston during rotation "of the driving member, anannular valve cage rigidly mounted in the casing concentric'to the ,casing and constituting an annular mounting for the piston passing through the piston and cooperating therewith to divide the casing into front and rear chambers at opposite sides of the piston, said cage having side ports at one side of the piston for establishing communication between the chambers, a sleeve valve in said cage, a rod for shifting the valve longitudinally in the cage and progressively moving the valve into and out of closing relation to the side pom ofthe cage,

valve carried by said rod and slidable thereon into and out of closing engagement with an adjacent end of said sleeve, the sleeve and disc valve operating with each other to form a dash-pot for checking too rapid movement of the sleeve valve 5 in a closing direction.

FRANKLIN E. STAATS. 

